NHL/Amazon Behind the Scenes Series

[The Comish]

https://www.bleachernation.com/black...connor-bedard/

With the news that the NHL and Amazon will partner on a behind the scenes series featuring 10-12 players where they follow those players around with a camera crew, who would you pick for your top 12?

These guys would be the guys I'd like to see (not necessarily the guys who I think they will choose):

1 - Alex Ovechkin - He's a character, plus he's chasing a Gretzky record
2 - Matthew Tkachuk - As much as I dislike the player, it would be interesting to see a glimpse of what he's like off the ice
3 - Connor Bedard - Obviously, part of the next generation of superstars
4 - Cole Caufield - What's it like playing in a fan crazy place like Montreal for a budding star?
5 - Arber Xhekaj - The guy was working at Costco and I'm pretty sure he's a fan favourite in Montreal
6 - Kris Letang - Two strokes and still playing. Highest scoring Pen defenseman and only Lemieux, Crosby Malkin and Jagr have more points with the franchise
7 - Drew Doughty - Character and a guy who would have been comfortable playing in any generation
8 - Brad Marchand - The player every fan outside of Boston love to hate
9 - Nazem Kadri - Interesting player whose style of play I dislike...except if he were to play on "my" team
10 - Brent Burns - Seriously, him and Joe Thornton were so awesome together in San Jose
11 - Radko Gudas - The guy is hated nearly as much as Ulf Samuelsson was (okay, maybe not quite as much, but he's got to be second to Marchand for hated active players)
12 - Anthony Duclair - Played for 8 NHL teams. Scored 31 goals two seasons ago, but can't seem to stick with any team

As I've said above, this is "my" list, not the players I think will be chosen. I'd also like to see them follow a head coach around. I love Jon Cooper (TB), but I've seen a bunch of features on him, so maybe Patrick Roy (Isles) or a guy like Chris Knoblauch (Oilers). I suspect they'll have at least one goalie and of course feature stars like McDavid, Matthews, MacKinnon, Makar, a Hughes brother (or 2 or 3), Pastrnak, Kucherov, but I think many people will find them boring compared to guys whose stories are more colourful.

What players would you like to see featured?

[Daydream Nation]

I'd be interested in seeing coaches, GMs, and scouts featured. I suspect they'd never release this information but seeing how teams plan their roster and their future projections in terms of the salary cap would be intriguing. How scouts and GMs analyze and judge prospects would be fascinating as well. Give me some behind-the-scenes meetings with coaches breaking down their team and their opponents. While we know hockey culture would pretty much refuse to give this kind of access, I'd watch that type of show rather than a crew following around some 20-something year-old hockey stars documenting how they live their life away from the rink.

[hockeyrobot]

Very cool idea and can't wait for it

Zegras would probably be a good choice too.

[Axeman33]

I assume this will be much like the Oil Change show that followed the Oilers a few years ago. Maybe a better product considering the money behind it, but similar.

[2014olympicgold]

Evander Kane and Anna Kane....

But in all honesty I would like to see a Tkachuk episode that followed them in the summer into the season so it's together.

Someone on Arizona. It would be interesting to see the behind the scenes of Mullett arena and life in Arizona for a player. It would be nice to see that.

Any goalie. Find the weirdest one of the top guys and follow them. They always show the players in stuff and show a goalie warming up and it's like "oh look at how weird they are" and then that's it. I understand that maybe it's hard for a goalie to allow a camera in their life though because the focus needed is so high.

Bedard+Foligno. Make it 1 episode about them together. The new and old pair would be interesting to see.

Trotz. Follow Barry Trotz around. It would need to be paired with maybe like Josi, or someone on the Preds. But it would bring a different view to someone's life that's off ice. We saw this past off-season a GM talk about family struggles with the job, so it could be a quick glimps into that life.

Follow Jack and Luke Hughes around and Quinn Hughes for a few weeks prior to Vancouver/NJD game. Then finish it off with after the game.

[metaldude26]

Because we are getting the 4-nations tournament sponsored by the NHL next season I want mostly players who are competing in that tournament or have opportunities to compete for a spot on their nations' team. So lots of Canadians, Americans, Swedes and Finns for me. I'd also be looking for lots of goalies, especially ones with potential goalie controversies because narratively that will make for the most fun. Also, pending free agents, would add a ton of stakes.

With those caveats:

1. Ovechkin - for the reasons given by the Comish. He's still great TV even if he doesn't hit some of my other caveats.
2. Landeskog - coming back from two years off, and a new type of surgery on a really good Avs team, and a potential competitor at the 4-Nations for Sweden.
3. Saros - Finnish goaltender, one of the best. Pending UFA. Nashville is intriguing as a city and competitive as a team. Potential goalie controversy with Askarov rising. Mid-Season trade candidate.
4. Oettinger - American goaltender, in competition with a lot of other good ones for 4-Nations. On a great and rising Stars team. RFA after next season and has struggled enough to be compelling.
5. Fleury - He may not even play next season. If he does, we don't know where. Maybe he's paired with a young goalie in a goalie battle. This could be a Last Dance type situation, and could be on a competitive team or a trade deadline deal. He's also in the mix for Canada at the 4-Nations. Beloved player.

Some other great suggestions above like the Tkachuks, Hughes', Zegras.

I would also love to see some of the big trash talkers like Brad Marchand and Ryan Reaves featured. Would help give the rat and pugilist perspective as well. Imagine they follow the league's most hated player Nick Cousins?